Hawalli crackdown shuts 3 food facilities with seizure of over 100 kg adulterated meat
Inspection tours conducted on food establishments were meant to tighten effective control over food establishments ensuring quality, safety and security of food.
As part of its periodic tours, the ‘Hawalli Governorate Inspection Department’ of the ‘Saudi Food and Nutrition Authority’ conducted an inspection tour, which was led by the head of the Haally Food Inspection Centre, Hanan Haji, and the Head of the Salmiya Inspection Centre, Jumana Bou Abbas.
In this context, Hanan Haji said that based on the directives of the Director General of the General Authority for Food and Nutrition, Dr. Reem Al-Fulaij, with the follow-up and supervision from the Director of the Inspection Department of Hawalli Governorate, Abdullah Al-Kandri, along with assistance from specialised technical cadres, inspection tours were conducted on food establishments located within the scope of the governorate.
This inspection was primarily done to tighten the effective control of food establishments, in order to ensure the quality, safety and security of food.
Moreover, Haji indicated that the inspection tour included the food establishments within its scope and resulted in the seizure of 109.5 kilograms of meat and falsified fish of unknown origin.
These adulterated foods were falsely sold as fresh, which involved 27 violations, as a result 3 administrative closure decisions were issued, and ultimately these falsified foods were destroyed.
Furthermore, Haji also pointed out that the violations varied between non-compliance with the rules and requirements of general hygiene during work, which had presence of cockroaches and insects in abundance, during the circulation of foods and the circulation of adulterated food of unknown origin.
This also included circulation of frozen meat, in addition to the workers selling food without obtaining a health certificate proving their health fitness and freedom of infectious diseases.
It also included circulation of food with the absence of technical and health requirements, and opening a food facility without obtaining a proper health license from the Authority.
Additionally on her part, Jumana Bou Abbas stated that the inspection tour comes within the framework of continuing the efforts of the Saudi Food and Nutrition Authority.
This was being done with the aim to preserve the health of individuals in society and the safety of food consumed in commercial markets, indicating that the Authority is implementing effective policies, regulations and control systems in accordance with international standards and specifications with the help of specialised administrative and technical cadres.
